Adjustable level.



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H. A. E. COY. ADJ USTABLE LEVEL. APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 2s, me.

Patented Sept 27, 1910.

n: Nnkms HANS AUGUST ERIKSEN COY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADJUSTABLE LEVEL.

arisen.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hans AUGUST EinksnN Cor, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Adjustable Level, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In levels having spirit tubes, it is essential that the tube bear a definite and predetermined relationship to the contacting edge of the level. In the common form of level, it is a somewhat diiiicult matter to get the tube in exactly the correct position, particularly when the part supporting the tube is held in place by bolts or screws. If a screw be misplaced in the wood a very slight amount, it is very ditiicult to change the position of the screw or to establish the proper relationship between the spirit tube and the contacting edge of the level.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the position of the tube may be altered in respect to the body of the level after all of the parts have been assembled.

By utilizing my invention, it is not necessary that care be exercised in securing the tube-supporting device in place with absolute accuracy, as the tube may be adjusted after the supporting device is rigidly and permanently positioned. Furthermore, in case the contacting edge of the level be injured and it is desired to cut away a portion of the body and establish a new contacting edge, the spirit tube may be quickly and easily shifted into proper' relationship to the contacting edge, without disassembling the parts or removing the tube.

My improved adjusting means may be used also with levels in which other devices than spirit tubes are employed, and various changes may be made in the construction illustrated and within the terms of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a level provided with an adjusting means constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrated in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the inner or rear side of the tube supporting Specication of Letters Patent.

Application inea october 28, 190s.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910. serial No. 525,050.

and adjusting mechanism; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the tube and a portion of the carrier being shown in elevation; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 441 of Fig. 1.

In the specific form of level indicated, there is employed a body portion 10, of wood or any other suitable material, and presenting a contact edge which may be protected by a metal strip or plate 11. Intermediate the ends of the body, there is provided an opening within which is secured the spirit tube. The tube extends lengthwise of the body and is intermediate the front and rear surfaces of the latter, so as to be protected4 against injury or accidental breakage. lThe tube support includes a collar 12, extending into the opening in the body, and a face plate 13, countersunk into the outer surface of the body and held therein in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by means of two screws 14,. The collar is cut away at one side, so that the spirit tube 15 may extend across the opening through the collar with its upper surface constituting a chord of an arc. The tube is of the ordinary well known construction, it being formed of glass nearly filled with a liquid, so as to leave an air bubble. In fact, all of the parts so far referred to in detail, are old and well known in the art.

The spirit tube 15 instead of being directly secured to the collar 12 or to the .face plate 13, is mounted in a cradle or carrier 1G, formed of sheet metal and so held in place that it may be adjusted to adjust the position of the tube. This adjusting means for the cradle or carrier may be constructed substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings. The cradle is curved to semicylindrical form and secured to the spirit tube by plaster of paris or in any other suitable inanner, and its opposed ends extend upwardly from the tube adjacent the inner surface of the face plate 13 and at approximately diametrically opposite sides of the collar l2. One of these upturned ends is pivoted on a stationary pivot 17, while the opposite end is pivotally connected to a suspending link 18. The link 18 terminates in an annular band or collar 19. Disposed within this collar or annular band, is an eccentric 20, provided with an outwardly and forwardly-extending flange 21 engaging with the periphery of the band 19. The band 19 thus constitutes an eccentric strap,

and the strap is held against any lost motion in respect to the eccentric, not only by its engagement with the outer surface of the latter, but also by its engagement with the inner surface of the flange 21.

For rotating the eccentric, a screw bolt 22 is provided, the head of which lies substantially iush with the outer surface of the plate 18. The body of the belt is non-circular in cross section and extends through a correspondingly shaped aperture in the eccentric, so that the eccentric and screw bolt are non-rotatable in respect to each other. Upon its inner end the screw bolt is provided with a suitable nut 23, which engages with the inner surface of the eccentric, and when tightened binds the latter against the inner surface of the plate 13, so as to hold the eccentric strap 19 and to resist the free rotation of the screw bolt and eccentric. In fact, the nut 23 is preferably tightened so that the screw bolt can only be rotated by the aid of a screw-driver, and even then with some considerable resistance.

The outer periphery of the eccentric is, of course, circular, but the screw bolt does not extend through the center of the eccentric, so that when the bolt is rotated the link 18 and the tube carrier 1G are alternately raised and lowered during each complete rotation of the screw bolt. No amount of rotation of the screw bolt in either direction will loosen the nut 23, as said nut contacts with the rear surface of the eccentric, and in reality constitutes merely a lock nut. The tube carrier 16 is thus pivoted at one end and its opposite end may be raised or lowered by the rotation of the screw bolt.

In securing the face plate 13 in position, no great care need be exercised in getting the holes for the screws 1l in any exact position, as these screws now serve merely to hold the plate in position, and not to determine the exact position of the tube in respect to the body of the level.

After the parts are assembled, the screw bolt 22 may be rotated so as to bring the tube in the proper position in respect to the contact face of the level. It is immaterial whether the device is adapted for use with levels in which the tube extends substantially parallel to the contact face or substantially at right angles thereto or in any other desired position.

A single spirit tube may be employed in the level on the carrier 16, or a second carrier may be adapted or provided for the support of a second tube at right angles to the tube shown. As these features constitute no important part of my invention and may be provided by an ordinary skilled mechanic, illustration of such features is thought unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a level, the combination of a face plate, a tube supported in the rear thereof, a tube carrier, a link having one end pivotally secured to one end of said carrier, the other end of said link constituting an eccentric strap, an eccentric upon the rear surface of said plate and within said strap, and a screw bolt extending through said face plate and operable from the front side thereof, for rotating said eccentric.

2. A leveling and plumbing instrument, consisting of a bar having a passage extending transversely therethrough, an annular face plate secured to said bar and encircling said passage, a collar secured to said face plate and extending into said passage and having a slot therein, a tube disposed partly within said slot and extending across the passage, means pivotally connecting one end of the tube and the rear surface of the plate, and means connecting the opposite end of the tube to the rear surface of the plate to swing the tube in a plane parallel to the plane of the face plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS AUGUST ERIKSEN COY.

lVitnesses CLAIR lV. FAIRBANK, Pnrmr D. RoLLrrAUs. 

